Monday 29 September 2014

27 September at the club

From Douglas:

GGC Members:
 
For the most part this Saturday, the thermals, where they existed were weak, except perhaps at the closing of the day. Nevertheless it was a good day of gliding at the GGC, with some 18 glider flights.
Nine training flights in the Super Blanik (IFX); five in the Puchacz; two in the L-33, 'Solo'; and one each in the 'Bluebird (ASK-13), and one private owner flight by Ulo Okapuu in his glider. 
 
The high point was that after a check flight with Claude Poulin, I sent him solo, and this was followed by two more textbook solo flights. CONGRATULATIONS CLAUDE.
Robert Pelley had three training flights with Tom Hastie and myself and is progressing well. John Schmidt with his new found freedom had two solo flights, and another solo student, Norman Wong had two good, prolonged  flights in the L-33, 'Solo' glider (0:42 and 1:41), and had to literally be pulled down out of the sky on the last flight so that we could go home. Norman was lucky enough to take advantage of the late afternoon developing thermals, that had eluded most of us earlier in the day.
 
Roberto Figueroa also stayed up for 1:41 in the Puchacz, and Ulo Okapuu, the only private owner pilot of the day had a couple of hours or more in his glider. The McCollum family (Beth and James), had another flight together in the 'Bluebird' (ASK-13).
I almost forgot to mention, that I started out the day with a wonderful aerobatic flight in the Puchacz with Wally Wilson in which we shed all our cares and woes in exploring the third dimension of energy management, and this, then put me into a calmer mood for taking my wife aloft in a gentle, silent flight to explore the Ottawa river and the beautiful Autumn colours below, before my instructional duty in the afternoon. Unfortunately, unlike yesterday, there were no red-tailed hawks to formate with, but Martin kindly obliged as a substitute by flying alongside the Puchacz in the Pawnee.
 
MANY THANKS to Derek Casselman for bringing the replacement Pawnee brake parts from Cornwall and THANKS to Martin for restoring the Pawnee to airworthy condition, ready for the Lake Placid, wave camp. Also, Dan Daly and Martin worked tirelessly on the compute in the clubhouse on the Air Traffic Control and Homeland Security requirements for the Lake Placid visit.
 
Regards,
 
Douglas

Friday 26 September 2014

Fall colours at Pendleton (updated)

For those able to avoid work, today was a lovely, warm fall day at the Club.  Simon towed his heart out, and the big three - BQN, IFX, and JCZ, all flew.  Of note, the Puchacz flarm has been installed, and was giving ranges of about 4 NM.  There is a display problem which I'll work on - same one I solved with my own a month ago (FLARM IO error).  M7, JJS, 2D, YW, TR all had nice flights, some thermalling with young red-tailed hawks and one with an juvenile bald eagle (about a year old).

The leaves.  WOW.  Beautiful.  Here's what you missed:

















Some are still turning, so the next week should be peak. As always, click on the pic to enlarge.

Some gliders are packed for Lake Placid (we heard Adirondack Soaring Club Lake Placid camp on the radios today), and one is already there.  Pendleton will operate as normal, and two club gliders (Puchacz, ASW-24) are scheduled, and at least 5 private owners are going (3 x SZD55, 1 x DG200/17, 1 x ASW-20).  Montreal Soaring is also going, and we expect a few from Rideau Valley as well.  The elves have been busy, and the Puchacz trailer looks to me like it now has surge brakes. I'll be reporting from Lake Placid starting next weekend.

A report on Friday from Doug Laurie-Lean:

GGC Members:

Another great day of flying at the GGC. The thermals were not great but did prove sufficient for Dan Daly to stay up for 2:48, Wolfgang in Mile Seven for 2:00, Jacques Asselin for 1:30, Ulo for 2:08, and Roberto in the Puchacz for 0:57.
There was a total of 18 glider flights, of which 8 were in IFX, and 3 in the Puchacz, and Club solo flights in the L-33 by Lee Faskin, and Wolfgang in Mike -7. Robert Pelley, Derek Casselman, and Gado Sirota had two flights each, and Phil Kerrigan was checked out for solo in the 'Bluebird', and a high point of the day was FIRST SOLO by John Schmidt. The McCollum family (Beth and Jim) had a flight together in the 'Bluebird of happiness'.
MANY THANKS ONCE AGAIN TO SIMON DUFOUR OUR TRUSTY MID-WEEK TOW PILOT.